Traditional Cake Mixing ceremony held at Ocean Pearl Hotel, Mangaluru

Traditional Cake Mixing ceremony held at Ocean Pearl Hotel, Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov.20, 2017: Ushering the spirit of the festive season an extravagant cake mixing ceremony was organized at the Ocean Pearl hotel, Mangalore on November 20, 2017.

 

 

 

 

In a normal setting, the saying ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth!’ may be true but in the world of Christmas cakes, boozy mincemeat (the dried fruit mix) prepared by many cooks just makes the cakes taste much better!

And so it was that Ocean Pearl hotel heralded in the Christmas spirit by organizing their annual Christmas fruit mixing event. Attended by many well-known citizens of Mangalore, it was clearly an occasion to let their hair down, roll up their sleeves and get their hands into the tub of dry fruits and alcohol.

This year, 50 kgs of mincemeat was prepared using cashews, almonds, walnuts, dates, raisins, blackcurrants, dried cherries, multi-coloured tutti-frutti and figs. Over 15 litres of alcohol, including rum, vodka, brandy, port wine, gin and whisky, was poured over the dry fruits and given a thorough squishing by nearly 15 pairs of hands!

 

 

 

According to a junior chef who was overseeing the activities, this mix will be allowed to sit for a whole month. Remaining cake ingredients like flour, eggs, brown sugar and spice powders will be added just before baking commences in December. Nearly 500 cakes will be baked for the hotel. According to him, people have already started to place their orders and will receive their precious cake just before Christmas day.

This was one function for which the Chief Guest and Special Guests began arriving early. Spotted at the venue was Chief Guest Mr. T V Mohandas Pai ( Chairman of Manipal Global Education), Mr. Pradeep Pai of Hangyo and Mr. Ramdas Pai ( Director of Infosys). Dressed in his Navy Whites was Commander Moonga of Mangalore Coast Guard. Dignitaries from SBI were seen chatting with other guests, a very elegant Mrs Rachana Bhandary of School Book Company posed for photographs.

Donning aprons, gloves and a chef’s toque, the guests gleefully splashed liberal amounts of alcohol and began mixing all the dry fruits. When asked by the compere how he felt about the function,  Mr Mohandas Pai said he was feeling…”really happy and very high!” no doubt he was alluding to the alcohol fumes emanating from the tub!

This tradition has been in place since the inception of Ocean Pearl hotel in 2010.

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